MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 403 



short-necked, high-sliouldered person, for the simple reason that, in 

 fast shooting, the point of sight at the end of the gun would come 

 up to the range of the eye before the butt could be placed full 

 against the shoulder, and the consequence would be that the piece, 

 not being held firmly against the body, would recoil unpleasantly 

 at every discharge. 



Moreover, the gun not being held on a perfect level, but the 

 point of the muzzle actually higher than the stock, the consequence 

 will be that the load will be likely to be carried over the object. 

 All this can be fully ascertained by a few trials ; and, moreover, 

 that with an over-straight stock it will be difficult to bring the 

 head down to its proper level, even in deliberate shooting. 



The fashion of having the stocks made straight and rather short 

 is very much in opposition to the most determined efforts at good 

 shooting on the part of sportsmen generally, and we beg to warn 

 our friends against this error ; they may rely upon our experience 

 in this particular, as we have given the subject much attention, 

 and are thoroughly convinced that reasonably high-mounted guns 

 are far preferable to the "low-mounted." 



By the term high-mounted we mean those guns which have long 

 and co7isiderahlg-hent stocks; by low-mounted we designate those 

 pieces that have shan't and straight stocks. 



Every sportsman, before deciding definitely upon the purchase 

 of a gun, should, if possible, give the weapon a fair trial, which 

 can be done very easily by firing at a mark, — not only to ascertain 

 the force with which the barrels shoot, but more particularly to 

 satisfy himself as to the mounting, as above explained. 



If, for example, the shooter looks steadily at some object placed 

 at a convenient distance from him, and throws the weapon up to 

 the proper range of his eye and fires at the very moment when he 

 catches the sight, he will most undoubtedly strike the target, pro- 

 vided the gun is mounted to suit him. If such, however, should 

 not be the case, the shot will be thrown most probably either above 

 or below the mark. If the former should be the case, he will know 

 at once that the stock is too straight and too short, or, as we have 



